


Concealed

by moonflowers



Category: Downton Abbey
Genre: Blow Jobs, Crossdressing, Crossdressing Kink, M/M, This is ever so self-indulgent
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 16:07:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,320
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3387947
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonflowers/pseuds/moonflowers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I – “ Jimmy’s eyes travelled the length of Thomas’ body, his livery just as neat and straight-edged as it ever was, but imagining what he’d concealed underneath, lace and taught straps and fastenings that had no place on a man’s body, digging into the flesh around Thomas’ middle, tight enough that if Jimmy were to dip his fingers under the garment to lift it away, there’d be little red indentations left behind on Thomas skin. “You’re wearing it now?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Sooo I wrote this a while back because I was bitching and whining that I wanted more crossdressing fic, and Flippyspoon mentioned something along the lines of Thomas wearing a garter belt under his livery and announcing this to Jimmy at an inopportune moment.  
> The first chapter is what I originally posted on Tumblr, and the second is new, and almost entirely smut.

The first time Jimmy had crawled into Thomas’ bed, the response hadn’t been exactly as he’d expected. It had taken a good deal of encouragement on Jimmy’s part to convince Thomas that he was allowed to touch him at all. For the weeks following, Thomas was clearly keeping his enthusiasm in check, his desire for Jimmy simmering just under the surface, and never allowed to reach boiling point. It niggled at Jimmy, but it was still early days, and he kept it to himself. Their trysts remained tentative and careful on Thomas’ part, as if any sudden movement might send Jimmy stumbling back into pretence and denial. There was some sort of reasoning to it, Jimmy supposed, considering how things between them had run their course to begin with, but that was all in the past, and he was growing bored of being treated like a china doll. He was a man for God’s sake, and Thomas could bloody well treat him like one. Soon enough he was at his wits end, and thanks to a pilfered bottle of wine and an enthusiastic, if inelegant, use of his mouth of Thomas’ cock, Jimmy had finally gotten his point across.

Once Thomas had gotten the hint and realised Jimmy wasn’t going to run if they got a little more adventurous, there was no bloody stopping him. Jimmy had had no idea that such a wealth of sexuality had lain dormant under Thomas’ polished exterior, and the contrast made Jimmy’s head spin and his stomach heavy. Thomas surprised him at every turn with some new pleasure, and if he hadn’t found it so thrilling, he’d have been put out by how much more experienced Thomas seemed than himself. But he couldn’t grudge him for it for long, not when it was him reaping the benefits of Thomas’ past exploits.

The fact that Jimmy blushed easily had always been rather a nuisance, but he’d never felt it more than when he’d started inviting himself into Thomas’ bed. He’d thought that getting a leg over once in a while would have had a calming influence, having released all the tension, so to speak. But instead, whenever he happened to catch Thomas’ eye across the breakfast table, or when they were serving dinner, he lost all control of his face. It would twist and heat up and feel like it wasn’t his own anymore, and he’d fidget in his seat. Of course, Thomas found this terribly amusing, and took every opportunity to exploit it. 

*

One drizzly day in October, Jimmy’s head was blessedly free of Thomas and all they could do together. The family were expecting a famously hard to please acquaintance of the Dowager’s for dinner, and Mr Carson had had everyone working like bees in a hive to get things top notch for their guest’s arrival. As such, Jimmy was irritable as he pulled on his gloves ready to start carting trays upstairs that evening; his mind on his aching hands and the splash of polish he’d managed to stain his livery with earlier. He’d noticed Thomas giving him a smug half-smile as he passed him in the corridor, but he was in far too sour a mood to play along.   
Thomas, of course, was having none of it. Jimmy was about to walk into the dining room with the starter when he stopped him.

“James, could I have a quick word before you go in?” Thomas looked supremely pleased with himself, which usually meant Jimmy was either about to be very well seen to or very annoyed. Given the circumstances, he suspected it would be the latter.

“What?” he bit, in no mood for any of it.

“Now James,” said Mr Carson as he seemingly appeared from nowhere, as was his habit, “no need for brusqueness. But make it quick if you please Mr Barrow, we are running late as it is, and I’ve no desire to keep our guest waiting. As I’m sure you agree.” With a pointed look, he swept into the dining room.

“Well, you heard Carson,” Jimmy hissed, “what do you want?”

“Do you recall the little chat we had last Thursday?” Thomas said softly, infuriating veneer flawless as ever. How could he always look so calm when Jimmy himself felt half mad?

“No, should I?” said Jimmy shortly, impatient to get dinner over with so he could sit down for a bit.

“You were telling me about that chap who was valet to a friend of the Anstruthers. How he said his employer was partial to wearing… unconventional undergarments beneath his suits. Perhaps something more suited to a lady.” His voice had gone very quiet, and Jimmy was straining to catch his words.

“…I do.” Though he didn’t see what it had to do with anything. He’d better get to the bloody point; Carson would do his nut if they took much longer.

“Well, let’s just say I now know the exact cost of purchasing a garter belt.”

“Good Lord,” said Jimmy, both scandalised and delighted, “you didn’t.”

“I certainly did. Though I have to say,” here the smug set of his mouth gave way to a rehearsed frown, “it does dig in rather.” He shifted his weight to emphasise his point, and Jimmy nearly dropped his tray. 

“I – “ Jimmy’s eyes travelled the length of Thomas’ body, his livery just as neat and straight-edged as it ever was, but imagining what he’d concealed underneath, lace and taught straps and fastenings that had no place on a man’s body, digging into the flesh around Thomas’ middle, tight enough that if Jimmy were to dip his fingers under the garment to lift it away, there’d be little red indentations left behind on Thomas skin. “You’re wearing it now?”

Thomas didn’t answer his question, just tilted his chin up and quirked his lips, knowing he’d scored a point. “We’d best go in. Don’t want to keep Mr Carson waiting.” He turned smartly and headed to the dining room.

“Wait, you can’t just – “ Jimmy hissed after him, but Thomas paid him no mind. Tightly clutching the tray, Jimmy watched Thomas’ back as he walked away, fighting back the urge to fling the starter aside and slide his hands up under Thomas’ jacket, to see if he could feel the outline of the offending undergarment through his shirt. But he’d have to wait.

Somehow, he managed to walk reasonably smoothly into the dining room, inwardly groaning as he realised his cock had begun to take an interest in his imaginings. With any luck, the inane chatter of the family would calm him down. It did, thank the Lord, and by the time he and Mr Molesley were making their way around the table with the main course, he had regained some semblance of normality.   
Unfortunately, as he stood off to the side as they ate, he was very aware of the fact that Thomas was standing directly opposite him across the table. He did nothing in particular, just looked blandly across at Jimmy, and yet it was enough to make a flush crawl up Jimmy’s neck and across his cheeks, uncomfortable in the stuffy heat of the room. 

“I say James, are you quite well?” Lady Rose cut in, in her interfering, well-meaning way, “you look a little hot.”

“I’m fine thank you, my lady,” said Jimmy when he found his voice, dearly hoping he sounded convincing. 

The conversation turned back to something he didn’t give a hang about, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Thomas’ mouth twist in the act of stifling a smile. Insufferable arse. Jimmy’s mind was already running through ways he could make Thomas pay for his teasing, but they were half-hearted thoughts at best, as his traitorous mind kept going back to what the pair of them would get up to later, when all the house was asleep and their bedroom became a kingdom of their own.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is totally new (I wrote it ages ago but never posted it anywhere.) Added on to the original fic because a couple of people wanted more :)

That night’s dinner service had been an absolute nightmare. Granted it could have been much worse – at least Jimmy managed to keep his composure on the outside. But through the entire thing, Jimmy found himself either staring at Thomas, or making conscious effort not to. The under butler caught him once or twice, and smirked at him, a pleased little quirk of his lips. Unfortunately, Mr Carson had also noticed he was somewhat distracted, and had had to pointedly clear his throat to get him back on track. But other than Lady Rose, the family and their guests didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, which was remarkable, considering how Jimmy was half out of his mind by the time they started the main course, wondering just what it was Thomas had concealed under his uniform. That they could sit there, making bland small talk over Mrs Patmore’s plum pudding when he felt such a mess, was unfathomable.

Eventually, and not a minute too soon in Jimmy’s opinion, their duties came to an end for the evening. He’d assumed the two of them would make their excuses and head up to bed as soon as decency allowed, but Thomas made it abundantly clear he had no intention of doing so, as he had requested Daisy bring him another cup of tea, and had settled in to read the newspaper Jimmy knew full well he’d already read cover to cover. They’d discussed the ruddy headlines at lunch. Jimmy had no option but to take a seat opposite and deal himself a game of solitaire while the rest of the servants chatted and got on with various small tasks, oblivious to his predicament. Thankfully. It was still too early to go bed really, and even if he did go up, Thomas would certainly stay downstairs as long as possible, and draw out Jimmy’s torment. If there was one thing Thomas revelled in, it was knowing he had the upper hand. Jimmy had lost against himself three times when he noticed Thomas yawn. He swallowed, thinking that would surely be it, and they’d be upstairs in moments. No such luck – Thomas simply lit a cigarette and struck up a conversation with Anna about the correct method to reattach buttons, of all things. The utter bastard. He knew of Jimmy’s impatience, he’d know how irritable it would be making him; that every little shift and movement Thomas made in his seat made Jimmy squirm too, knowing what caused the other man discomfort. So lost was Jimmy in trying to keep his composure, it took a moment to register that Thomas was bidding everyone goodnight. Finally. Jimmy was positively giddy until he realised this meant he’d have to wait a little longer downstairs – it was a rule Thomas had suggested and Jimmy had agreed to, just one little thing of the many necessary to keep anyone’s suspicions low. Agitated, Jimmy made sure to glare at Thomas as he left the room before turning back to Alfred, who immediately began listing Ivy’s virtues, much to his displeasure. 

Twenty agonising minutes later, Jimmy managed to extricate himself from sleepy small talk with the others to head upstairs. He let himself into Thomas’ room without knocking – he knew Thomas didn’t like it when he did so, but he didn’t much care right then – to find the under butler seated on his desk chair, still fully dressed and lazily blowing smoke above his head. 

“Let me see.” Jimmy cut to the chase; he’d waited ruddy long enough to forgo the niceties.

“See what?” Thomas frowned in mock confusion.

“Thomas, show me.”

“I can’t think what you mean, Jimmy.”

“Thomas – “ 

“Ask me nicely.”

“Oh bloody hell, just take of your sodding clothes, would you?”

“That’s not what I’d call nicely. Patience is a virtue, Mr Kent.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Lady Mary noticed, you know,” Thomas said, looking at Jimmy in that self-satisfied, cat like way he did when he was feeling relaxed and particularly pleased with himself. 

“Noticed what?” said Jimmy tightly, not sure he wanted the answer.

“You. Staring at me.” His smugness intensified. Lord, but he was unbearable.

“I was not staring,” Jimmy hissed, colour rising in his cheeks, doubly embarrassed because he thought he’d been so careful…

“It’s alright,” Thomas said, “she only rolled her eyes and went back to her pudding. So there’s no need to get your knickers in a knot,” he added loftily, which Jimmy thought a rather ridiculous notion to apply to him, when Thomas was the one wearing ladies things under his livery.

“Are you going to take off your clothes, or not?”

Thomas just smiled, infuriatingly calm, and stubbed out his cigarette. He stood, slowly lifting his arms out to the side. “Well, come on then.”

Not needing to be told twice, Jimmy closed the space between them quickly, skipping the customary kisses in favour of what he’d been wanting to do all evening. He pulled Thomas’ jacket from his shoulders, dropping it to the floor and ignoring his little noise of disapproval. He unbuttoned the waistcoat, Thomas laughing softly at his haste, and cast the shirt front aside. Tugging Thomas’ shirt free from his trousers, he pushed it as high as he could up his chest – no easy feat with his braces in the way – softly touching his belly and looking at the garter belt which, just as he suspected, dug in just a bit too tight around his middle.

“Oh Lord…” He groaned and sank to his knees, kissing softly at Thomas’ belly, feeling the surprising roughness of the fabric under his lips and the pads of his fingers, in stark contrast to the smooth skin.

“Full of surprises, you are,” he heard Thomas say shakily somewhere above him, but he disregarded it in favour of pulling back, running his hands up Thomas’ sides and hooking his fingers into the belt, lifting it away ever so slightly to admire the faint, pink indentations left behind. He let it go, the garment pinging back with a snap, making Thomas flinch.

“Jesus Christ, Jimmy. That hurt.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled into the skin of Thomas’ hip.

“No you’re not.”

“Not in the slightest.” He stood, knees protesting after their sudden trip to the floorboards, to slip Thomas’ braces off his shoulders. “Stand over there,” Jimmy gestured to the back wall by the window. He wasn’t very good at being authoritative, but he would continue to try, if only for the look of wonder that crossed Thomas’ face when he did.

“If you say so.” Thomas did as he was told and moved to stand in front of the window, leaning against the sill as he faced Jimmy, erection obvious under the fabric of his trousers. 

Not giving himself time to waver, he sank to his knees on the floorboards in front of Thomas, acting on impulse and simply doing what he wanted to, mouthing gently at Thomas’ cock through his trousers. Thomas hadn’t been expecting it, if the sharp gasp and reflex jerk of his hips were anything to go by. His fingers wound into Jimmy’s hair, tugging slightly, and anchoring them together.   
Thomas’ thumb pressed into the nape of his neck, and the seemingly innocuous touch made Jimmy lose his patience entirely, and he wrenched himself away to unfasten Thomas’ trousers. He slid them down, and to his shock and delight, found that Thomas wasn’t wearing any underclothes at all in the traditional sense; only the garter belt, attached to a pair of dark stockings.

Speechless, Jimmy reached forward with unsteady hands, running his fingertips over the unfamiliar fabric. He gaped up at Thomas, who had spots of colour high up on his cheeks, unsure if Jimmy’s scrutiny was positive.

“Jimmy. Are you - ?” 

Before he could finish, Jimmy groaned and ran his hands up Thomas’ legs, from ankle to thigh where the fabric gave way to skin, moving around to grasp at his backside, pulling him close. The way Thomas’ soft body gave under the pressure of his fingers was exquisite. 

“That must have been uncomfortable,” Jimmy mumbled into the warmth of Thomas’ thigh, “you’ve been like that all day? For me?”

“For you,” said Thomas. “Though I won’t deny I’ve rather enjoyed it, discomfort aside. Who knows,” he said loftily, “I might want to do it more often.”

Lost for words, Jimmy grunted softly, caught somewhere between surprise and desire. The things Thomas would no doubt do, if Jimmy asked it of him, made his head spin. Things that had never even occurred to Jimmy were possible to be desired, until Thomas. 

Jimmy kissed Thomas’ thighs, soft and rushed then harder and longer, leaving a little red mark under his tongue, on Thomas’ inner thigh. It hadn’t been intentional, but he rather liked the look of it. Another thing for Thomas to hide under his uniform. He dipped his fingers under the straps of the suspenders, allowing the elastic to ping back against Thomas’ skin with a pleasing snap. Thomas flinched, but the choked moan that left his throat belied his approval. 

Giving in to the urge to do something he didn’t indulge in very often – it was still something that embarrassed him a little, though he had no objection to Thomas doing the same for him – he ducked his head to take Thomas into his mouth. Thomas hissed, hand moving through Jimmy’s hair, supportive, firm, rather than forceful. Not to be outdone, Jimmy brought a hand up to splay over Thomas’ arse, bringing him close as possible, his little finger caught in a suspender strap.  
It wasn’t a thing Jimmy was much practised at, but that didn’t seem to matter much, and it wasn’t long before Thomas was muttering obscenities and grasping Jimmy’s hair tighter. He came, and though Jimmy knew it had been imminent it still caught him off guard and he stilled, swallowing mostly out of surprise and because it seemed the right thing to do in the heat of the moment. He pulled away a fraction too early though, and a little hit his chin, clinging sticky to his skin.

Jimmy licked his lips, pleased with himself, and grinned up at Thomas. He was slumped against the wall, breathing hard and hair in his eyes.

“Dirty little cat,” he said, and Jimmy hummed vaguely in agreement, slipping his hand down the front of his trousers to finish himself off. 

Thomas frowned – he never had liked the thought of leaving Jimmy to take care of himself – before his face settled into something more artful, and he pulled off his rumpled shirt and waistcoast. Jimmy’s eyes followed his hands as he reached down to unclip the suspenders from the tops of the stockings, and the straps hung slack from the belt. Thomas rolled the stockings down, slowly, smirking at the way Jimmy’s jaw tightened. He was left only in the garter belt, which he reached up to unfasten, peeling it away to reveal the faint red marks the garment had left on his soft middle. He dropped it to the floor, just as Jimmy touched himself in a way that almost always tipped him over, and he came, partly over his hand but most over his underwear. Damn.

He was still catching his breath when Thomas sank to the floor in front of him, pulling him in for a kiss. Jimmy thought about where his own mouth had been. It was the small things, the things like knowing Thomas could taste himself on Jimmy’s tongue as they kissed languidly in the aftermath, that made all the hassle of secrecy worth it. And perhaps someday they wouldn’t have to be so careful to hide themselves away, and Jimmy would be able to show Thomas plainly how he loved him, easy as breathing, or blinking in the sun. 

Thomas pulled back a little, their noses brushing. “Do you know something Jimmy?” he said, his breath on Jimmy’s cheek.

“What?” said Jimmy softly.

“You’d look wonderful in purple.”


End file.
